Making a Home
by Reese M
Summary: Finding Each Other was just the start. True Love is just the foundation. This is the continuing story of Regina and Emma and their children, Henry and Lucy. This is how they make a home together and become a family. And all the good and bad along the way. This is a squeal. The story Finding Each Other should be read first.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: I don't own anything Once Upon a Time I'm just borrowing for fun. Lucy is mine. This is a continuation of the story Finding Each Other which should be read first.

* * *

It had been an emotional few months for everyone. It started with the breaking of the curse, rolled into Emma and Snow being pulled into a portal that took them to Fairytale Land, continued in Storybrooke as Regina dealt with loosing Henry and looking for a way to bring Emma and Snow back. When she was finally able to bring them back using Alice's looking glass mirror, they'd brought with them a little girl with long dark hair and chocolate colored eyes and enough of Daniel's features for Regina to see him in their daughter every time she looked at her. Things didn't get any easier for Regina after that. She found out that the baby girl her mother had told her died shortly after being born was a live, that Cora had hidden her away and raised her, and that Lucy, her daughter, had spent the twenty-eight years of the curse frozen in time as a ten year old. While she was reconnecting with her daughter, learning to be a better mother not only for Lucy but also for Henry, Regina also found herself dealing with the fact that she was falling in love with Emma Swan.

And it wasn't just falling in love, it was discovering after all this time her true love. Daniel, she realized had been first love which was a form of true love because of it's innocence, but Emma, Emma was the other part of her soul, the reason her heart beat. Literally, Emma made her heart beat. Her mother had found a way to cross over and reeked havoc in Regina's life that ended in the street outside Granny's with Cora ripping her heart from her chest after Regina had stopped her from doing it to Emma. Emma had retrieved the heart by cutting off Cora's hand, and finally brought an end to Cora's magic by destroying the last tie she had to it. Just about the whole town watched as Emma knelt beside Regina's dying body begging her to help her put the heart back in her chest. They watched in astonishment as Regina died, as Emma glowed white with magic, and as Regina's heart renewed by Emma's love sank back into her chest.

It really had been a whirlwind few months, and the ride wasn't over yet. Sitting in the main room of town hall around a long table with Emma, Snow, James, Granny and Red, Archie, and the Blue Fairy Regina listened as they talked about what to do with Cora. It was a difficult decision to make. Cora had done a lot of damage both in Fairytale Land and now here in Storybrooke.

"Regina." Archie said gently. "I think you should tell them."

Dark eyes narrowed as Regina stared at Archie. "Excuse me?"

"Not everything." Archie reassured. Since the curse broke Regina had been coming to him for counseling. She'd confided in him about things that made him realize Regina was just as much a victim in all of this, maybe even more so. "But I think it would make things a little easier if they knew more about the kind of woman Cora is."

"We know what kind of woman she is." Emma said hotly. "She's the kind of woman who rips her daughter's heart out and kills her, she's the kind of woman who takes a child and leaves her mother to believe she's dead, she's the type of woman who would let a child think she'd killed her mother just because she'd been born, she's the type of woman who would murder an innocent young man so she could pimp her daughter out to a man three times her age, she's the kind of woman who kidnaps kids and hires mad scientists, and…"

"We get it Emma." Snow said firmly.

Archie smiled reassuringly at Emma. Everyone could see how shaken she still was over nearly loosing Regina. "It's just that Regina was Cora's first…"

"If you say victim I swear I will turn you back into a cricket and step on you." Regina warned the man. Regina's magic had been unpredictable since Rumplestiltskin brought it to Storybrooke, it came and went, it was strongest after having physical contact with Emma, and as part of her parole she was forbidden to use it unless there was good reason. To be honest Regina had been trying not to use it. Magic had brought her nothing but heartache and pain and now that she was on the cusp of having what she'd always wanted, happiness, love, a family, she didn't want to use it anymore.

"Regina." Snow said with a slight warning tone.

"Its alright, Regina." James said soothingly. "We know enough to know that she's to dangerous to simply keep around the way she is."

"What are you suggesting?" Ruby asked.

James took a moment; sure that this would stir something up. "We take her across the line."

"Across the town line?" Ruby replied, a little surprised. "You know that if anyone crosses the town line they loose all their memories of who they are, everything about Fairytale Land."

"I doubt it would have the same effect on my mother." Regina informed them. "I didn't bring her over, I didn't give her a Storybrooke counterpart. There's no one for her to turn into."

"So if we put her over the line and she forgets she'll just be some kind of blank shell?" Emma asked. "Like she had amnesia or something?"

Regina thought about that for a moment and then answered, "It might work that way. Or it might not work at all."

"What are our other options?" James asked. "She's to dangerous to leave unchecked."

"Some would say the same about Regina." Blue pointed out.

Emma shot the woman a nasty look. "Regina is redeemable. There's still good in her. There is nothing but evil in Cora. There is nothing left but something dark and twisted and inhuman."

"If we were in our land we'd just execute her." Granny pointed out.

"We aren't in your land." Emma reminded them. "Anything like that here would be murder."

"Emma." Snow said firmly. "Cora had no issues with murdering you or Regina or the kids." Lucy had told them that before their rescue Cora had ordered the reanimated Daniel to take Henry and Grace to the stables, leave them in stalls, and torch the place so she could escape back to Fairytale Land with Lucy. "But there might be another option."

"What other option?" Emma asked.

Snow looked at those gathered around the table before looking at her husband and asking, "Has Abigail found her father yet?"

"I don't know." James answer and then took a long moment to look at his wife while figuring out what she was thinking. "Snow, are you really thinking…"

"It isn't an execution but it pretty much has the same out come." Snow said with a nod.

Emma looked confused. "Who is Abigail and who is her father?"

"Katherine." Regina answered. "Here she's Katherine. In Fairytale Land she's Princess Abigail. The daughter of King Midas."

Emma had to think for a moment. "You mean the guy who asked for the touch that could turn things to gold?"

Regina nodded. "What your mother is proposing is having him turn my mother into a living gold statue."

"Living?" Emma asked.

"She would be alive but from what I understand she would be frozen in time." James explained. "When Fredrick came back from his gold state he was unaware of the passage of time, but still very much alive."

"It's the humane way of putting her down." Granny said.

Snow had been watching Regina closely. The fact that there was a flicker of a daughter mourning for her mother despite everything that had happened let Snow know that Emma was right when she said there was till good in Regina. Deciding that she wouldn't make Regina make this decision she said, "We'll try the line. If it wipes away her memories we'll commit her to the asylum. If it doesn't, we'll ask Midas to encase her."

As they were leaving Emma stepped up beside Regina, brushing their arms together as they walked. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine dear." Regina replied as they walked. She drew comfort in Emma's closeness. She really wasn't the holding hands in public type but a simple brush touch like Emma just did was just as affectionate to her.

"You're not fine." Emma said firmly. "But I won't push, at least not yet." Checking her watch she added, "The kids won't be home for a couple of hours. Are you heading back to the stables?"

Regina shook her head as she opened the driver's door of her Mercedes. She had some things to do at the stables, she was still looking for the best horses to fill the stalls, but her head just wasn't into it right now. Normally running the Storybrooke Stables gave her some peace, but that peace had been tainted since Lucy was snatched from there and she'd been attacked by Daniel. "I have some errands to run. I'll see you at home."

Emma nodded, "Alright." Leaning in she kissed Regina quickly and smiled at the annoyed look on her lover's face at the pda. "I'll make dinner."

Regina gave her lover a look. "Meaning you'll stop somewhere and pick up take out."

"Just for that I really will cook something." Emma teased.

There was a small smile on Regina's lips as she pulled out of the parking space. The hours following her death, or near death depending on how you choose to see it, had been strange. There was no more second guessing things like Emma's effect on Regina's magic, or Emma's reasons for protecting Regina when the curse broke. The fact that Emma had saved her life the way she did, the ripple of magic that engulfed the town with them at the center, it was true love. That realization was really starting to put things into perspective for Regina. She was being given a second chance despite the things she'd done. Things were far from perfect, so many in this town still saw her as the Evil Queen and some always would, but Regina wasn't about to let them stop her. She wanted to prove Emma right, prove to her children that she was redeemable. But there was still a lot of hurtles in her life, a lot of bad experiences, a lot of bad people, and a lot of bad feelings.

She wouldn't let all of the bad have a negative affect on her life, not any more, she would deal as things came up, but there were certain things, certain bad feelings she did feel the need to rectify. Stepping up to the door Regina knocked and waited. She'd put this off long enough. As soon as the door opened Regina looked into Jefferson's eyes and said, "So much of this could have been avoided if you'd left her in Wonderland."

"You mean like the way you left me?" Jefferson replied as he leaned against the doorframe.

Regina set her jaw as she took a moment to keep her emotions in check. "We need to talk."

Jefferson nodded and then stepped out of the way to let Regina into his house. "Yeah, guess we do."

Across town Emma stood outside the secure room that held Cora. The old witch was lying in a hospital bed apparently sleeping, her arms over the blankets. The end of one arm was completely wrapped in bandages and very clearly missing a hand. Emma had taken the hand, which held Regina's dying heart, with one fluid slice of a sword she'd summoned magically. Because Emma was a good person a small part of her felt bad for severing Cora's hand and nearly letting her bleed to death, but a larger part of her knew that getting her hand cut off was lenient compared to what Cora really deserved.

When Emma felt someone step up beside her she asked, "Has anyone tried to visit?"

"No." The Blue Fairy answered. "Regina's been here, stands here like you are, but hasn't gone anywhere near the room."

Emma nodded. She knew Regina had come because the brunette had come home upset, not that anyone but Emma would know that. Regina still came across as cold and aloof with everyone but her and the kids, that's just who she was. Emma was still learning to read Regina, sometimes her lover still pulled away from her when things were emotional, but they were both getting better and letting each other in. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course your highness." Blue replied softly.

She had to bite back a groan at Blue's reply. No matter how many times Emma told some people to stop that they just refused. "You helped Marco, Archie, my parents, rumor even has it that part of the reason you're all here is because of something you did. Why didn't you ever help Regina? Why would you people leave her with someone like Cora?"

Blue squirmed a bit. "She never asked."

"She was a child!" Emma said as she turned to look at the woman beside her.

"I couldn't help unless I was asked." Blue explained. "There are rules, Emma."

Emma turned hard eyes on the woman. "Yeah well before you decide to make another comment about Regina just keep in mind she isn't the only one to blame all of this on."

Blue had the nerve to look offended.

It was more then clear where they stood. Emma didn't like her and she didn't care if anyone had an issue with that. After making sure Cora was secure and her guards posted for the evening/night shift Emma headed over to the school to pick up Henry and Lucy. Henry was trying really hard to act as if everything they'd all gone through wasn't effecting him, and Emma was proud of him for trying to be so brave, but she knew there were still times when he would feel shaken up but it all. There was just this look that came over him, this certain way he had of looking at Regina, which let Emma know he was thinking about how he'd almost lost his mom. Lucy was a little more open and obvious about how she was feeling. Emma had lost count of the mornings where she'd wake up in Regina's bed to find Lucy wedged between them, a death grip on Regina while they slept or her little hand clinging tightly to Emma's.

"Hey munchkins." Emma said with a smile as Henry and Lucy raced to her and her bug.

"Hi Ma." Henry said brightly.

"Where's Momma?" Lucy asked.

"Meeting us at home." Emma answered. "She had some things to do. Did you guys have a good day?"

Henry and Lucy took turns telling Emma about their day as she drove them home. When they pulled into the drive Emma said, "Alright you two. Homework. I need to start dinner."

Henry and Lucy looked at each other before looking back at Emma. "You're cooking dinner?" Henry asked. "Um, why?"

"Hey." Emma huffed softly as she unlocked the door to Regina's house. She hadn't officially moved in but she was pretty much living there. This was Henry's home and she wanted him to feel stable, lugging him back and forth between here and her apartment just didn't make sense. "I can cook. I just don't like to cook."

When Regina got home she looked as if she'd just gone ten rounds, which she kind of had. She and Jefferson had been at each other for so long they'd forgotten what it was like before everything went wrong. Stepping into the house all the tension she was feeling melted away as she listened to the laughter coming from kitchen. The close she got the sound the more she smiled and relaxed. "You really are cooking."

Emma looked up from where she stood at the stove and smiled. "Did you think it was an empty threat?"

"I was hoping." Regina teased.

"Hi Momma." Lucy said as she abandoned her homework for a hug.

"Hello my darling." Regina greeted.

That evening after the kids were put to bed, when Emma started asking what she'd been up to that evening, Regina started distracting her. It didn't take long for everything but each other to be forgotten.


	2. Chapter 2

There was a very smug look on Cora's face as she was brought to the town line. Snow, James, the dwarves, the wolves, the Savior were all there just for her. Jefferson was lurking out of sight of everyone but Regina and Cora, while Rumplestiltskin watched from trees. All this focus and attention just for her, and she was loving it. She smiled, she taunted Regina, but Emma's presence kept her daughter from reacting the way Cora wanted her too. She had watched as Regina, the once powerful and feared Queen she had groomed her to be subjugated herself to these peasants. Regina had allowed Snow White of all people to decide her own mother's fate. Cora couldn't stand it. She couldn't stand watching all her hard work go down the drain and for what? Love? So she teased, tormented, and pushed all of Regina's buttons, but Regina didn't react. She stood there cold and aloof, her eyes locked on Cora, refusing to give in to the woman. Regina knew what Cora was doing and refused to give in. She refused to act out of anger, to lash out, to give in to the darker thoughts running through her head.

When it was time Regina wrapped her mother in magic so she would be able to move Cora back and forth over the line without risking going over herself. She had no idea what going over the town line would do to her, seeing as how she had always been fully aware of both her lives, and she wasn't in a hurry to find out. Using her magic Regina lifted her mother off the ground and forced her over the line, they waited for something to happen, and when nothing did she pulled her back over. Grumpy said when Sneezy went over there had been a shimmer of magic, no one noticed a shimmer around Cora. It hadn't worked despite her pathetic attempt to make them think it had. Thomas and Fredrick took Cora back to her secure padded cell in the basement of the hospital to wait what came next. Once her handless arm was completely healed they would encase her in gold.

"Are we sure that will hold her?" Emma asked once everyone had gathered at town hall. "What if Midas' magic touch doesn't work here? And what if someone finds a way to get her out of it? Fredrick was rescued from the gold. I am seriously not ok with all the what ifs here."

"Take her heart." Jefferson said from where he was leaning against the wall. No one had seen him walk in and his sudden presence made everyone but Regina and Ruby jump. Regina had just known he'd be there and Ruby had smelled him.

Emma whirled around to face him and barked out a, "What?"

"Have Regina take her heart." Jefferson said firmly as he pushed off the wall and walked closer to the small group. "If she takes Cora's heart she'll control her, or better yet she'd be able to kill her."

"How twisted and sick are you?" Emma demanded. "No one here is going to ask her to do that. Cora is still her mother."

Regina put her hand on Emma's arm. "You were right Emma. Using Maids' touch isn't a foolproof way to make sure she's out of our lives. Who knows what Rumple has stashed away or Hook?"

"Regina." Snow said as she looked into the woman's eyes. "Do you want to do this? Do you want to take her heart?"

"No." Regina answered without even thinking about it. "No, I don't. That kind of dark magic has taken from me everything I ever loved. But if I took her heart, it would be extra insurance."

"No." Snow said with a shake of her head. "We're not willing to take the risks. We'll find another way."

"Regina." Jefferson said as he looked into her dark eyes.

Emma stepped between them. "You need to go."

"If your willing to risk your children that's one thing." Jefferson replied. "I'm not willing to risk mine. If she won't do it I'll find a way to have it done."

"Jefferson!" Regina called out after him. "Don't you dare ask him!"

He turned to look at her. "Than do what needs done!"

They all watched as he turned and walked out the front doors. Several long moments of silence passed before Snow finally turned to look at Regina, "Who else would he ask to do this?"

"Rumple. He's the one who taught me how to do it." Regina answered. "He's the one who taught her. And if he does it that would mean he'd have control of her."

"That's not something we'd want." James said. "But Jefferson might be on to something."

Emma turned fiery green eyes on her father. "You can't really be serious!"

"Enough!" Regina said in a voice that reminded everyone of the Queen. "This is my magic, my mother, my choice, and I will be making it on my own!" She glared at every single one of them. "I will let you know what I decide." With that she left, jumped into her car, and drove out to place ground to watch Henry and Lucy playing. She was almost relaxed from watching her children play, and after thinking about the way Emma giggled every time she realized the woman they'd hired as their nanny was the woman Mary Poppins was based on. But then she felt him step out of the trees.

"It's the right thing to do." Jefferson said as he stood beside her. "You know it's the only way to keep them safe."

"I know." Regina replied, her voice soft and sad.

"Don't go soft on me now Regina." Jefferson said with a flicker of anger. "I need you to be the woman who ripped her own father's heart out of his chest. If you want to be the Savior's little woman afterwards fine, but after our kids are safe."

They were out of sight of the children so Regina didn't worry about them seeing as she used her magic to slam Jefferson into a tree, before enchanting a limb to tangle around his neck, strangling him.

Jefferson clawed at the branch while gasping out a raspy. "That's my girl."

"Stop trying to manipulate me Jefferson." Regina said as she got into his face. "I've had enough of that in my life. I will make this choice, no one is making it for me." She held him for a moment longer before letting him go and then turning on her heel and walking away. She was angry, hurt, and confused but as she came into view of the children she smiled so they wouldn't know how twisted up she was feeling.

Over the next several days Regina was aloof and cold and it made Emma uneasy. She and Snow were against this; they didn't want to tempt Regina by asking her to use such dark magic. James was in favor because he had the same concerns Emma had. What if someone did come along and free Cora from her gold prison? There were only so many precautions they could take against Cora's unexpected and unwanted return. Grumpy and his crew had found some magic laced stone in the mines. They were using that stone to build a crypt, which would house Cora's golden form. Regina would place enchantments on the crypt but who's to say that would keep someone like Rumple away from Cora? If he had need of her the Dark One wouldn't have an issue using her.

Stepping out of the sheriff's station Emma started walking towards Granny's with Regina on her mind. She was worried. Regina was insistent on making this decision herself, and Emma couldn't stop thinking there shouldn't be a choice at all. She wanted to blame this on Jefferson, and she did, but honestly how long would it have taken for someone else to bring up the idea of taking Cora's heart? Stepping into Granny's she scanned the tables, booths, and counter for Regina. They were meeting for lunch. When she didn't see her, Emma walked up to the counter and slid onto a stool.

"Hey Em." Ruby greeted with a smile. "Grilled cheese and fries?"

"Yes please." Emma answered, returning the smile for a moment and then asking. "Have you seen Regina? I was supposed to meet her."

Ruby nodded as she pressed a glass to the long chrome trigger on the soda fountain. "She was here but then left just a few minutes ago with Jefferson."

"Jefferson?" Emma asked as Ruby set her orange soda down on the counter.

The young woman with the wild red streaks in her hair nodded. "Those two seem awfully chummy don't they? What's his deal?"

"What do you mean?" Emma asked.

"Well," Ruby replied as she leaned on the counter, propping her chin on her fist. "Until you and Snow came back and told us about being kidnapped by him no one really knew who he was. He never really showed up in town much until after the curse broke. How come he got that great big mansion in the woods? And is he single?"

Emma had been nodding at Ruby's questions and adding a few of her own until the last one. That one caused her to blink and reply, "Huh?"

"He's a little odd but totally cute." Ruby said with a huge grin.

Emma groaned. "He's a single dad, Rubes. He's not your type."

Ruby laughed as she pushed herself up from the counter. "Everyone is my type."

For the rest of the day Emma's mind was cluttered with questions about Jefferson. Well, more to the point, about Jefferson and Regina. For months now something about the two of them had been itching at her but she just didn't know why. Deciding she finally needed to talk to Regina about it she sent the kids off with her parents. When Regina got home she was in the kitchen pouring hot water into a mug full of cocoa mix.

"Hello." Regina said with a warm smile as she walked over to Emma.

"Hi." Emma replied as she poured water into a second cup, this one had a tea bag in it.

Regina smiled and nodded towards the tea. "Is that for me?"

Emma nodded. "I thought it would help us relax while we talked."

"Talked?" Regina repeated, a little bit of unease settling in. "About what?"

"You stood me up at lunch." Emma said as she looked into Regina's eyes. "You were there but then you left with Jefferson."

"Oh." Regina said softly. "Yes, I did, I should have left you a note. I'm sorry."

Emma put a little bit of sugar and some milk in Regina's tea, using the few seconds it took to gather her thoughts. She wanted to be tactful about this, she wanting to show some understanding, some grace, but when she opened her mouth it just all came out in true Emma fashion. "What the hell is up with the two of you?"

Regina blinked. Despite knowing Emma so well the bluntness of the question still took her by surprise. "Excuse me?"

"You and Jefferson." Emma demanded. "What the hell is there between you two? And don't you dare say nothing. I've been picking up on it ever since he rescued you from Whale outside of Archie's office, and whatever it is, it got really intense when the kids were kidnapped by Cora and FrankenDaniel. What kind of past do you two have? Is he like an ex or something? Oh god, you're not Grace's mother are you!?"

"No he is not an ex. No I am not Grace's mother. Emma, you have it all wrong." Regina replied with a shake of her head.

"Then why don't you explain it to me?" Emma demanded.

Regina stood there watching and listening as Emma went on about this thing she sensed between her and Jefferson and what she was picking up on along with the concern and some hurt over thinking Regina was hiding stuff from her, was jealously. When Regina realized this she couldn't help but laugh.

Emma blinked. "What's so damn funny?"

"You're jealous!" Regina replied with pure delight. She liked the idea of Emma being jealous because it meant that for Emma, Regina was hers.

"I am not!" Emma huffed. "But if I was, do I have a reason to be?"

"Dear gods no!" Regina said, still laughing. It took a few moments for her to calm her laughter to gentle giggles and then she said, "Emma. Jefferson is my brother."

Bright green eyes went wide as Emma's jaw fell open. "What?"

"Grab your cocoa dear and I'll explain everything." Regina said while reaching for her mug of perfectly made tea.

Once the shock of Regina's statement had worn off she and Emma moved to her study so they could be a little more comfortable, or rather so she could be more comfortable. She knew that Emma was waiting for her to explain but she needed a moment to let the memories out, and adjust to the emotions they brought up, so she sat quietly on the sofa beside Emma while staring into the depths of her tea. After a few minutes and several sips of her drink she finally shifted so she was facing Emma. "Jefferson was the price my mother paid for her magic. Well, one of many payments I suppose." She paused a moment before continuing. "Three days after we were born Rumplestiltskin showed up to collect her first born. According to what Nanny would tell us later she gave him Jefferson, but he wanted me."

"Not to sound mean or anything but why you?" Emma asked gently as she listened to Regina's story.

"I had to be taught how to use it but like Lucy I was born with magic." Regina explained. "Rumple knew that, but the deal was for her first born."

"You're twins?" Emma asked with wide, surprised eyes.

Regina nodded with just a hint of a smile on her lips. "Yes, but we didn't know until much later. The first time he and I met we were five. Nanny was always taking me places to get me away from Mother and one of my favorite places was this wild garden on the very edge of our property. One afternoon when we got there we found someone was already there, Jefferson and the woman Rumple hired to look after him. We became friends and over time he became my best friend. When we were thirteen his adoptive mother became ill and he went to the man he knew as his patron, the man who paid for his care and education, Rumple, to ask for his help. Rumple sent him after the magic that would allow him to make his portal hat."

"Why a hat?" Emma asked before she could stop herself.

"Doris was a milliner." Regina answered with a soft smile. She'd been fond of Doris, she was a kind woman, and she loved Jefferson as her own. "When he was able to get his hat working Rumple gave him the medicine she needed, but it was to late. She told him the truth about who he was and what happened before she died. When he came to the house to confront Mother she admitted it but then turned him out, saying that he belonged to Rumple. Without anyone but me to love him, and his access to me limited to meeting in secret, he started traveling to the different worlds stealing whatever Rumple sent him for."

"What happened between you two?" Emma asked. "You hate each other."

Regina looked sad as she said, "He lost Alice, I lost Daniel, and after he betrayed me, I betrayed him, and it was just one thing after another."

"How did you betray each other?" Emma asked while reaching out a comforting hand, resting it on Regina's thigh.

Regina took great comfort from Emma's touch and it made her look up at the blonde and give her a grateful smile before finishing her story. "He brought Mother back to my land from Wonderland, allowing her to steal Daddy's heart. So I tricked him into taking me to Wonderland to get it back and then I left him there, which kept him from Grace."

Emma pulled Regina into her arms and held her for a while before asking, "Why did you leave him with his memories of the other lands?"

"Because I wanted him to be there for me the way he use to be." Regina admitted. "I wanted someone to turn to, I wanted…"

When Regina's voice failed her Emma said, "You're brother."

Regina nodded. "But I'm afraid that we'll never be able to have that back."

"Never say never." Emma said with a sweet smile. "You should know that. You never thought you'd love again and here we are. You never thought you'd be happy, and you are, aren't you?"

"So much so that it scares me." Regina admitted.

"Why?" Emma asked.

"I don't want to loose it." Regina answered.

"You won't." Emma said before softly kissing Regina's lips. "I promise."

"That's an awfully big promise to make, Emma." Regina said softly.

"Life is one hell of a ride." Emma said after a moment of thought. "The day to day of it will be a mess. But I think we can do it, I think that despite all the good and bad and all out crap, we'll keep the happy going."

Regina hoped Emma was right. A few days later she felt that perhaps Emma was right. The crypt was finished. Cora's wound was healed. Fredrick and Thomas brought her out to where she would spend the rest of time. Cora struggled, she ranted about who she was and her ties to people like Regina. She demanded Rumple help her but he just stayed out of sight smirking. Then Regina stepped up to her mother and everything went quiet. "Love is not a weakness, Mother. I wish you had known what it felt like to be truly loved by someone. I tried. Daddy tried. But we just couldn't compete with magic and power and whatever lead to you to being so twisted inside."

"Everything I did, I did for you." Cora hissed.

"No, everything you did you did for yourself." Regina replied. "And all for nothing. Goodbye Mother." Raising her hands Regina used her magic to bind Cora and with tears in her eyes Regina used her magic to pull Cora's heart from her chest. Cora's heart was dark, black, with barely a glimmer of light inside. Regina held it in her hand as she magically placed her mother on the stone seat inside the small crypt. She magically manipulated the fairy dust infused iron restraints that pinned her in place at the ankles, lap, waist, wrists, and chest. She watched with even more tears as Abigail's father stepped up to Cora, but before he could touch her Regina cast as spell that put her mother to sleep. She would, in her gold state, look peaceful at least. Once she was turned gold, the opening of the crypt was stone closed half way up, more fairy dust infused iron bars set into place as a small viewing window. Regina turned on the charms and enchantments and that was that.

Except before Midas left Regina asked him to encase Cora's heart, yet another step to ensure bringing her back would be more difficult. Then she and Emma left, taking the heart to a place where only the two of them would know where it was, stashed away in a special box made by August and Marco that only she and Emma could open. One could never be too careful when it came to Cora, and Regina wanted to make sure that the people she loved were safe from her.


	3. Chapter 3

There were things you learn about a person only while living with them. Regina learned that when left alone in the mornings Emma bopped around the kitchen in her pajamas listening to whatever song her iPod fell on in the moment. After taking the children to school Regina returned home to pick up a few things before heading to the stables. When she walked into the house she could hear the thumping of some song that only Emma would listen to. It actually gave Regina a sense of peace when she walked in on Emma like this. It somehow made her house feel more like a home now. It was no longer just a showpiece, a visual flick from under the preverbal chin to the rest of the town. It was where Henry made a mess on the dinning room table making his art project for school. It was where Lucy left dirty, muddy footprints after spending the afternoon in the back garden hunting for gnomes. It was where Emma danced around in the kitchen wearing sky blue pajama pants with a monkey face on them and a matching tank top with a spoon in her mouth while listening to a song that was highly inappropriate.

"…sex in the air I don't care I love the smell of it."

Regina raised an eyebrow as she watched Emma move, the way her hips popped and her shoulders rolled.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but chains and whips excite me."

"What are you listening to?" Regina demanded.

Emma turned, wide green eyes taking in her lover for a moment before those bright eyes narrowed and Emma smiled. Pulling the once Nutella covered tablespoon out of her mouth she set it down and moved towards Regina. "It's Rihanna." Emma said as she slid her hands onto Regina's hips, moving them to the beat of the song. "It's a fun song."

"About a subject I would rather not explain to our children." Regina said as she stared right into her lover's eyes. She wasn't making it easy on Emma but she didn't stop the other woman from gently manipulating her body to the music. She listened to the words of the song a little more closely and smirked. "Is there something you'd like to confess to me, Ms. Swan?"

"First," Emma said as she moved closer to Regina. "I wouldn't let the kids listen to music like this. Second, maybe." When it was clear that Regina wasn't going to dance with her willingly Emma said, "You need to loosen up."

"Excuse me?" Regina said with a look that said Emma better tread carefully.

"You're tense." Emma said honestly. "You need to just let go and relax. A lot has happened over the last few weeks. I was thinking that this weekend we'd have a pajama day."

"What on earth is a pajama day?" Regina asked while she pulled away from Emma and walked across the room to turn off the music.

"It's a day," Emma explained slowly. "Where we stay in our pajamas and do not much of anything. It's just a day off, Regina, a day to relax." Emma could see that Regina was about to protest so she smiled and said, "The kids and I already voted. We're doing it on Sunday."

"Strange," Regina teased. "The last time I checked this was a monarchy not a democracy."

"Yeah, about that." Emma said as she walked over to kiss Regina. "There was a coup."

Regina wasn't really the type who did nothing well. It made her uneasy spending her time doing things that weren't in any way productive. So she was kind of dreading Sunday. Toward the end of the week no one else had mentioned Emma's pajama day so she was starting to hope that it had been forgotten. Her hopes were dashed that Sunday morning as she crossed her bedroom, which she now shared every night with Emma, making her way towards the door.

"Wait." Emma said as she sprung from the bed. She rushed to the dresser where she kept her things and pulled out a brand near pair of freshly washed pajamas. She took the neatly folded items to Regina with a huge smile. She gently yanked Regina's robe from her hands and handed her the pajamas instead. "As much as I love what you have on." The blonde said as she eyed the baby doll nighty Regina was wearing. "It isn't pajamas."

Regina looked at what Emma had handed her. The bottoms were a soft, thin, fleece, green with whole and halved apples all over them, and the top was long sleeved, thin cotton same color as the bottoms with a whole and halved apple in the center of the chest. Looking up brown eyes took in the bright smiling green eyes of her lover and Regina smiled for a moment before saying, "Are you serious?"

"It's pajama day, Regina." Emma said with a firm but bright voice. "Everyone stays in their pjs. You can still shower and do whatever but you have to wear the pajamas."

While Regina was showering Emma headed downstairs to start breakfast. She threw together what she called a breakfast bake, which was eggs, potato, and sausage, onions, peppers, and tube biscuits. Once that was in the oven she headed upstairs to join Regina in the shower. By the time Henry and Lucy got up Regina and Emma were already back in the kitchen having coffee. Wearing the silly pajamas was worth it when Lucy's smile lit up the room. Even Henry had a surprised but thrilled happy look on his face when he realized Regina was going to participate in pajama day.

The day was spent watching movies, playing video games, and board games. Emma and Henry went out, in their pajamas, to get lunch from the diner while Regina and Lucy battled it out at the chessboard. Dinner they all made together and afterwards they watched movies until Henry and Lucy feel asleep on the sofa. After everything they'd all been through this was just what they needed. Once they'd managed to get the kids into bed Emma and Regina settled on the sofa with apple cider and a fire in the fireplace. There was soft music playing and they were snuggled together.

"So?" Emma asked. "What did you think?"

Regina couldn't help but smile. "It was a wonderful day."

"I knew you'd enjoy yourself." Emma said a little smugly.

Things in their lives were so vastly different. Emma had grown up alone. Depending on no one but herself. Learning that trusting someone only got you into trouble. But all of that changed when Henry showed up at her door. It started with wanting to make sure he was ok, and then she'd gotten attached to Mary Margaret, then she'd made friends with Ruby, and she became sheriff, and before she knew it she had a life here and people she loved. Now she had Regina, she had someone she was in love with and wanted to be with. And with Regina came the sweetest little girl she'd ever met. Emma Swan had a family. Sometimes she found that a little staggering and at other times the thought of loosing them scared the hell out of her.

Sitting in a booth a Granny's Emma looked through Henry's book. Since the curse broke new stories appeared from time to time, as if it were finally allowed to fill in some of the blanks. She found the story of Regina's wedding to King Leopold and started to read. Regina had just been a girl and was forced to marry a man three times her age. Emma wondered about Regina's parents. Had theirs been a marriage of convince? It was really hard to imagine Cora had ever loved Regina's father, or anyone else for that matter. Emma sighed softly. Regina didn't really have any good experiences when it came to marriage, and neither did she for that matter. The only positive married relationship she could remember was the old couple with the dance studio.

"I have a problem." Ruby said as she slipped onto bench across from Emma in the booth.

Jarred from her thoughts Emma looked up and replied, "Huh?"

"I have a problem." Ruby repeated. "I kind of like someone."

Emma smiled softly, "How is that a problem?"

"It's Belle." Ruby said in a low voice so only Emma could hear.

That made Emma's eyes go wide. "Gold's girlfriend? Are you insane?"

"Yeah, now you know why it's a problem." Ruby said with a long sigh.

"There's a man with a hook for a hand running around making Gold's life hell because Gold cut his hand off because he fell in love with his wife." Emma said with a slight shake of her head. "You really want to go down that road?"

"Actually Killian isn't going after Rumple because of his hand." Ruby replied. "He's going after him because Rumple killed Milah."

Emma groaned and rolled her eyes. "You've been chatting up the man with the hook?"

"You're sleeping with the woman with the poison apple." Ruby countered.

"Point taken." Emma replied. "Look, Ruby, all I can say is be careful. Belle is the one thing that keeps Gold human, and she appears to really love him."

"I know." Ruby said with another long sigh. "I really suck at this stuff. How do you manage? I mean really could you have picked a more complicated person to fall for?"

Emma chuckled. "I like to think of her as complex rather than complicated."

Ruby watched her friend for several moments before saying, "So is this complexity what has you looking like that?"

"Like what?" Emma asked.

"That's your I don't want to screw this up but I need to do something look." Ruby said with a smirk.

Emma blinked.

"You always figure these things out, Em." Ruby reassured. "Whatever is on your mind just trust yourself and trust Regina."

Emma raised an eyebrow at that. "Trust Regina?"

"Yeah, I know." Ruby said with a shrug. "Your mother is my best friend and I should hate Regina for everything she did to her. Funny thing is, I know what it's like to be forgiven for doing dark things. So I can't really bring myself to hate her."

She watched as Ruby shrugged as if what she'd said was no big deal. Emma smiled. "You know, it means a lot to Regina that you've always given her the benefit of the doubt, not that she would ever say it out loud."

Emma and Ruby chatted until Granny yelled at Ruby to get off her butt and back to work. Emma grabbed a cocoa to go and headed back to work herself. After picking up her patrol car at the Sheriff's station she started her afternoon drive through of the town. As she drove past the town square she caught sight of Henry and Lucy. They were playing with Pongo in the square by the gazebo.

The moment Lucy saw the patrol car she ran over to it. Sticking her head into the car with the biggest grin on her face she asked, "Emma, can we get a dog?"

"Um, a dog?" Emma replied.

Lucy nodded her head in that comical bobble head way of hers. "Please!"

"I'll have to talk to your mother." Emma said with a bit of unease in her voice. "Where is your Mom?"

"With Doctor Hopper." Lucy replied. "We're doggy sitting Pongo."

"Well you'd better be very mindful of Pongo." Emma advised. "He likes to run off."

"We will be." Lucy promised. She wiggled furthered into the car so she could kiss Emma's cheek and then wiggled back out to run back to her brother who was waving at Emma while holding onto Pongo.

Emma watched for a few more minutes before pulling away from the curb and driving off.

Ever since Whale attacked her outside his office Archie insisted on walking Regina to her car and seeing her off. Since Henry and Lucy had his dog this time he walked her to the square. Of course as soon as Lucy saw her mother she asked her the same question she had asked Emma. Regina tried hard not to make a face at the request. "A dog?"

"Yeah." Lucy said. "Henry and I will take care of it. Or a kitten, I'd be happy with a kitten, but Henry made a face at the idea. Kind of like the one you're making."

"You know Regina, pets do help to teach children responsibility." Archie said with a smile and a wink at Lucy.

That evening Regina and Emma talked about Lucy's request. The next day Emma talked to James about letting Lucy help him out at the animal shelter. They were hoping that spending some time with the less pleasant aspects of pet ownership would help quell the desire. James agreed and that Saturday morning Emma was dropping Lucy off.

"There are my girls." James said as he stood from the stool he was sitting on when Emma and Lucy walked into Granny's. "Are you ready to give me a hand, Lucy?"

Lucy nodded, a huge smile on her face. "Momma and Emma think that all the gross stuff will stop me from wanting a pet."

James laughed as he looked from Lucy to his daughter. "Kid has your number, Emma."

"Tell me about it." Emma replied with a playful roll of her eyes. "Hey, do you think maybe we could talk this afternoon?"

It was a little surprising that Emma was asking to talk. She didn't really seek out moments like that. "Of course. Back here around lunchtime?"

Emma nodded. "I'll be here. Lucy…"

"I know. Be good for James and listen to what he says." Lucy said with a smile.

At lunchtime Lucy was sent off to eat with Snow while James and Emma went for a walk. James could tell that Emma had something on her mind so he gave her the time she needed to get her thoughts together but when it became clear that she didn't know how to start he asked, "What's on your mind, Em?"

"Well," Emma began with a sigh. "See, the thing is, I've been thinking a lot about something and I'm not sure how Regina is going to feel about it, and I'm not sure what to do."

"What have you been thinking about?" James asked.

Emma chewed her lip before saying, "Regina and Henry and Lucy, they're my family. I mean, you and Snow you're family to, but…"

"I get it, Emma." James said when he saw the flash of panic in Emma's eyes over possibly hurting his feelings. "We're a family but Regina and the kids are _your_ family."

Emma nodded. "And I don't want to loose that."

"Regina loves you, Emma." James reassured.

"I know." Emma said. "I love her too. That's why I want something more for us."

James gave his daughter a questioning look. "More? As in something like marriage?"

"Yeah, like that." Emma admitted.

"And you're worried she doesn't want that?" James asked.

Emma sighed and nodded her head. "Her experience with marriage was pretty traumatic."

"Yes, it was." James admitted.

"I mean, Regina was more or less owned by Leopold." Emma said. "I don't want her to feel like that again."

"There is a huge fundamental difference between her marriage to Leopold and a marriage to you, Emma." James said while catching his daughter's eyes. "She loves you, and you love her. You would both be going into this wanting to share your lives together. I think if you talked to her about how she feels about it you'd be surprised at the answers you get."

Emma thought about it while they walked and then nodded. "I guess I'm just scared that if I shake things up they'll end up falling apart."

"I think things are a lot more put together then you realize." James reassured.

Emma took her father's advice and very carefully started testing the waters with Regina. Sitting in Regina's study one afternoon Emma was making a show of going through some of the scrolls and books Regina had that held the laws and customs of the old kingdoms. "Well that's kind of cool."

Regina looked up from her account books with a, "Hmm?"

"All of the laws about marriage." Emma said. "The terms they use aren't gender specific."

"Of course not." Regina said with that smile she used on Lucy while explaining simple things to the girl. "Our laws make room for true love and true love isn't held within boundaries such as gender."

"So it's perfectly legal and acceptable for say, two women, to get married?" Emma asked.

Regina nodded, "Yes, and rather common in certain areas."

"Soooo, by law, you and I could get married if we wanted too?" Emma asked carefully.

"Yes, we could." Regina said with a nod.

Emma smiled. "Good to know."

Regina watched as Emma dropped her head, returning her focus on the book in her lap. Titling her head a little Regina blinked. Had that question been a bit pointed or was she just reading what she wanted to into it? Did Emma want to get married?


	4. Chapter 4

As she loaded her purchases into the trunk of her yellow beetle Emma looked over the hood and through the windshield at Henry, Lucy and the little black puppy they'd just adopted. Their little plan to show Lucy how hard it was to take care of pet had backfired. For a month Lucy got up early every Saturday and without a single word of complaint spent the day helping James at the animal shelter. Just to show them she was serious she even put in extra time taking care of her horse at the stable. Then there were the conveniently left post-it notes with little facts like "Medical doctors believe that owning a pet is good for mental health.", "Studies how that having a family dog makes children healthier.", "Dogs increase family happiness." , "Owning a dog can prevent heart attacks." And Emma's favorite, "Dogs offer free entertainment that keep kids out of their mothers hair for longer than five minutes." With a campaign like that they really had no other choice but to let her get a pet. Even Henry got in on things by showing he was willing to help his little sister out. So they gave in and agreed to adopt a puppy.

"Got everything?" James asked as Emma slammed the trunk closed.

"I think so." Emma replied. "If not I'll call you and you can bring whatever with you when you come to help them build the doghouse. Which, mostly likely, I'll be sleeping in."

James nodded and then gave his daughter a knowing grin. "Good luck."

Emma groaned. Slipping into the driver's seat she twisted so she could look at the kids and their new puppy. They all looked so ridiculously happy it wasn't fair. "Your mother is going to kill me, then she's going to kill you, and then she's going to kill me again."

"Momma's going to love him." Lucy insisted. "Look at him. He's very charming and regal. He's perfect, he's meant to the be the dog of a queen."

"Yeah, well, lets hope she thinks so." Emma said, smiling because the three of them really did look too happy and cute not to smile at.

"Regina." Archie said softly. "You've had something on your mind for awhile now. Why don't you talk to me about it?"

Regina sat on the sofa in Archie's office picking at the decretive strands on the end of her scarf. She did have something weighing on her mind. Something she'd been trying to work out on her own for at least a month now. Something she really did want to talk about which is why she was here and not at the animal shelter 'helping' to pick out the 'family' dog. "Emma's been dropping hints."

Archie listened and carefully asked, "Hints about what?"

It took several minutes for Regina to finally look up at him and say, "Marriage."

"You think Emma wants to get married?" Archie asked, knowing that would be a huge step for both women.

Regina nodded.

Archie picked up on the insecurity. "But you don't?"

"I'm…" She hated saying it. It didn't matter the situation that brought it on, she simply hated saying it no matter what.

"You're what, Regina?" Archie prodded gently.

She felt the coolness of her queenly façade slip over her like a security blanket. She held onto that aloofness the way Lucy held on to her baby bootie and Regina's old hair ribbon. Reaching up she took Emma's swan pendent between her finger and thumb and rubbed it as she said, "I'm afraid."

Archie gave her a reassuring and proud smile. "What are you afraid of, Regina?"

"Everything going to hell." Regina answered honestly.

There was more to being together then just being true loves. Being with her true love was just the foundation, she and Emma still had to work at their relationship everyday and that wasn't always easy. They were two very different people with very different pasts and even though she wouldn't say things were fragile, Regina still didn't want to disturb what they had together. Things were good, they were together, they were a family, but over the last month she was starting to understand why Emma might be thinking about marriage. How much more secure would they both feel with that kind of promise made to each other? She couldn't deny that the thought of knowing she and Emma were bound together would be a comfort. But how long before Emma started to feel restricted by that bond? Yes Emma had put down roots here, but it still felt more like she was a potted plant rather then strongly rooted tree. And what about herself? What did she know of marriage? She had been forced into her last one, forced into the roll of wife in every sense of the word. For her marriage had been a prison.

"Why don't we start with you telling me about your marriage to King Leopold?" Archie said gently.

Dark eyes went wide and than narrowed. "I don't think that is a very wise idea."

"Why not?" Archie asked, and then before Regina could answer he reassured her fears. "I hold no allegiance to him. But I do to you. You are my friend, Regina. You have placed your trust in me and that is where my allegiance lies. You can be honest with me, Regina. I will not take offence, nor judge, nor reveal anything you say to anyone else. You know this."

It was a struggle. Regina had always held everything about herself, about her past, so close and tight that every time they broached a new topic like this it was a struggle for her to let go. She sat there looking at Archie knowing that she could trust him, knowing that he had in fact been a great help to her since the curse broke, but for now her desire to cling to her secrets won out. Getting up she grabbed her purse and coat. "I need to go. I let Emma be in charge of supervising the children while they picked out the puppy you helped convince me to let them have. I need to get home and see what terror they've brought into my life."

Archie knew by now when to push and went to let go and wait for her to come back. "Alright. We'll talk again soon. And do try and embrace the new addition Regina. Having a pet can be a wonderful joy."

The moment Emma heard heels on marble she held her breath. As the clack of Regina's shoes changed, singling she'd left the foyer and was now making her way through the house, she closed her eyes as if waiting for a blow. Sure enough moments after the sound changed to heels on kitchen tile, faded a little as she made her way towards the mudroom off the kitchen, the blow came.

"EMMA SWAN!"

"Damnit." Emma mumbled as she slowly made her way to where she would find a furious Regina. "I'm gonna end up on the couch."

As soon as she saw Emma Regina pointed at the puppy in the mudroom. "What is that!?"

"That is our new dog." Emma explained. "His name is Regal."

Regina glared as she crossed her arms. "I agreed to a small dog! A companion dog!"

"I know but…"

She threw her hand out pointing at the little beast. "That's a Great Dane puppy!"

"I know but…"

"It's going to get massive!" Regina snapped.

"Regina just shut up and listen!" Emma yelled back and then sighed before explaining. "Lucy's been doing research for weeks and she came up with this little fact that certain royals in this world have been known to favor Great Danes because they're majestic or something."

"And what does that have to do with this future monstrosity living in my house?" Regina demanded.

"She named him Regal, Regina." Emma snipped. "She picked him because she thinks he's the kind of dog a queen would have." She paused long enough to let that sink in. Lucy knew Regina wasn't completely into the idea of having a pet around the house so she was very mindful of picking one that would appease her mother in someway.

"Oh." Regina said softly.

"Yeah." Emma replied. "And they both totally feel in love with the little oaf the moment he stumbled into the room."

"Stumbled?" Regina asked. "You didn't let her pick a sick dog did you? It's bad enough you allowed her to pick such a large one. They don't have very long life spans, Emma."

"He's fine, perfectly healthy, he's just all gangly and big puppy-ish." Emma reassured.

Regina pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned out a long sigh. "Oh Emma."

Before the blonde could say another word Lucy and Henry came in from the backyard. "Momma!" The girl said excitedly. "Momma have you met Regal yet! Isn't he handsome?"

Regina put on her best smile as she turned to look at her children. "I was just about too my darling." Reaching out she unlocked the puppy gate Emma had put in and stepped into the mudroom. The moment she crouched down and Regal looked up at her with those big onyx like eyes, she was a goner. "He is a rather dapper looking boy."

"Do you like him Momma?" Lucy asked with a flicker of hope and worry.

"You know sweetheart I think I do." Regina said reassuringly as she screeched behind the puppy's floppy ears, making his tail thump and wag in delight. "I'm sure with the proper training young Regal here will live up to his name rather nicely."

Emma leaned against the doorway smiling. When Regina looked up at her the look on Emma's face said it all, they were both total suckers and they knew it.

They'd taken a family picture. Everyone was dressed in cozy sweaters, couched on the ground with the yellows, reds, and oranges of the fall leaves, Henry and Lucy each with an arm slung around Regal. Seeing it printed out and framed, sitting proudly on the mantel, sent Regina back to Archie. "You want to know what it was like being the captive young bridge of the king? Fine. I'll tell you. Just sit down shut up and let me say this or I leave."

Archie simply nodded, took his seat and listened.

The moment she got home that night Emma could tell something was wrong. "Hey." She said gently as she moved closer to Regina. "Baby, you've been crying. What's wrong? What's happened?"

Regina simply shook her head, to raw and tired to talk anymore.

"Ok." Emma said in understanding. "Ok, come on. I'll draw you a bath and you can just relax."

Emma didn't push she didn't need to. She knew that when she was ready Regina would talk to her about whatever had upset her. She knew that right now what Regina needed was simply her, so that's what she gave. She held her love in her arms all night, protecting her from bad dreams, or forgotten memories, or charlie horses, whatever might plague her through the night. It was just a little over two weeks after that night while they were walking Regal that Regina just happened to mention, "I read in the paper this morning that Maine is likely to pass an equal marriage law this election."

Emma was a bit taken off guard by that. "Really?" She replied. "Um, well, cool, I mean, that's kinda pretty awesome if they do."

Regina simply smiled. "Yes, it would be." Then she huffed slightly playfully and slightly vexed. "And they say fairytales are out of date. At least we've never judged based on such things as this."

Emma looked as if she where listening but her head wasn't in the conversation. Had that been Regina's coded response to her coded hints? Was she letting Emma know she was open to the idea of getting married? Now what? Now she would have to think, have to plan. Regina was independent and confident enough to ask Emma, but deep down Emma knew she was still that young girl looking for her fairytale happily ever after, and in the storybooks it's always the knight who asks the princess right? Or in their case it would the princess asking the queen. No, Emma thought, no this was simply Emma asking Regina, but still, how to go about it?

"Emma, are you even listening to me?" Regina asked as they turned the corner on their street, heading back to the house.

"Hmm? Yeah, of course, barbarians, idiots, worse than common peasants, I heard you." Emma said with a grin.

"You seemed a million miles away." Regina commented.

Emma smiled brightly. "Na, closer than you think."

The first thing Emma knew she needed to do while she worked towards her end goal of asking Regina to marry her was talk to their kids. So after school one afternoon she drove them out to where Regina had rebuilt Henry's castle, on the lakefront. She sat there with Henry like they had so many times before only now she had Lucy on the other side. Her son that she shared with Regina, and Regina's daughter who she shared with her, had so easily and so simply become their kids. And deep down Emma knew that getting married wasn't just something good for her and Regina but for them too.

"What's on your mind, Ma?" Henry asked knowingly.

"Well," Emma replied as she took a moment to look at them both. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"What?" Lucy asked.

Emma took a moment to gather her thoughts and then just came right out and asked, "How would you two feel if your mother and I got married?"

Henry's excitement was immediate. "That would be awesome! That's how the story is supposed to go. True love finds each other and then they get married and live happy ever after."

Henry's happiness made Emma smile; it left her feeling reassured that this was the right way to go. Lucy's quiet stillness beside her however caused a little concern. Turning to the dark haired little girl Emma asked, "Lucy, honey, would you be ok if your Mom and I got married?"

Lucy looked up at Emma and smiled softly. "It would make Momma very happy."

Emma smiled back and then reached out to put her arm around the girl. "So if you're ok with it, what's on your mind?"

The girl was quiet for several minutes before she looked up at Emma and her brother and said, "You and Momma are both Henry's real moms together because you're Henry's birth mom and Momma's his adopted mom. But I only have Momma for real cause she's my birth mom and…"

"Hey." Emma said cutting the girl off. "Lucy, look at me." She said as she titled the girl's head up. "You have me for real too. Always. You are just as much my kid as Henry is, whither I marry your mom or not. We're a family, the four of us, and your mom and I getting married its just making that stronger. It's us making a promise to each other. So, you know what, I get it. I do. So why don't we talk to your mom about letting me make a promise to you? If that's what you want Lucy, I'll talk to Regina about doing an adoption."

Dark eyes went wide as Lucy looked up into Emma's eyes. "Really? Then you'd be my mom for real too?"

"I would love to be your mom for real too." Emma replied.

The smile on Lucy's face as she threw her arms around Emma's neck was so bright Emma was fairly sure they could see it in town. She promised Lucy that she would talk to Regina about it soon, that if she brought it up now it might spoil the surprise. They sat there until their cheeks and hands were numb talking about how this would and wouldn't change things. Then they went to Granny's for hot chocolate and warm cookies. With the kids blessings Emma felt that much more secure in what she was going to do. Though before she went through with it there were two more people she wanted to talk to.

Sitting at the table in her mother's apartment Emma looked up and caught Snow's gaze. How would her mother feel about this? After what happened on the street with Cora, with Regina having her heart latterly ripped from her chest and dying, only to have Emma and her love put the heart back and bring her to life again, it was pretty impossible for Snow to deny what Emma and Regina were. But there was a lot of toxic water under that bridge and even though Snow and Regina were working towards some kind of peace, how would Snow feel about her daughter marrying her evil-ex-step-mother.

"How's Regina getting on with the puppy?" Snow asked gently, trying to break the tension between herself and Emma.

Emma smirked. "She's totally in love with the little beast. She's hired a trainer, and in her head that means he won't be a messy slobbery nuisance, but at the end of the day he still manages to find his way onto the couch with his head in her lap."

Snow chuckled softly. "I kind of figured she would give in. I remember she had this beautiful pair of deerhounds when I was young that she simply adored. She would let me come along with her and them for these long walks around the castle grounds."

The smile on Snow's face gave Emma hope. "So, that's a good memory? Of you and her?"

"They're few but yes I do have good memories of Regina from my childhood." Snow admitted.

"Good, that's good." Emma said with a nod of her head. She bit her lip while she gathered her thoughts and emotions.

"Tell me what you want to tell me, Emma." Snow said gently but firmly.

Emma took a deep breath and said, "I want to marry Regina." She admitted. "And I'm gonna ask her soon. The kids are thrilled with the idea. And I'm not looking for a blessing or anything but I wanted to tell you, ya know, just because, well…"

"I'm your mother and this is the kind of thing your share with your mother." Snow said gently.

"Yeah." Emma said with a nod.

Snow was quiet for a moment as she thought about how she felt and then she said, "I'm not going to lie and say this isn't a little odd, a little strange, even a little uneasy for me, because it is. Regina and I have a lot of painful history. That being said, it is our past, and we're both trying to move on from that. I love you, Emma, and I want you to be happy. And a part of me wants Regina to finally get her happiness as well. So, if the two of you getting married brings about that happiness, I can be ok with that."

"Really?" Emma asked, a little doubt still clinging on.

"If you would have asked me a year ago I would have forbidden it and gone after her with a sword." Snow said honestly. "Heck, six months ago I would have still thrown a fit. It has taken a lot for me to get where I am right now when it comes to her. Part of it has come from watching her with you, with Henry, and Lucy, and the people in this town. Part of it has come with me looking at things, looking at myself, with more mature eyes. There may never be total forgiveness, Emma. I don't know if I can do that. But as long as she never hurts you or Henry or Lucy, I can at least be willing to try."

Emma practically leapt from her chair so she could pull Snow up and hug her. "Thank you."

"You never have to thank me for loving you, Emma." Snow said as she held her daughter tight.

Her father, who'd come around regarding Regina sooner than her mother had, had pretty much the same reaction. So everything so far was lining up. She had her support in place and now all she had to do was do it. But how, how to ask a woman like Regina to marry her? Simple? Showy? Romantic? Traditional? When? Where? And than it hit her, the perfect, when, where and how, she just hoped Regina would think so too.


	5. Chapter 5

It was warm out for fall and there was a beautiful breeze coming through the open window. Sitting at the desk in her study Regina was working on a few governmental things that she'd agreed to remain in charge of, soaking in the clean air and taking in lungs full of the wonderful scent that came along with it. Fall was her favorite time of year, so full of splendid colors and warm smells. It had been a long time since she'd been able to fully enjoy the season but now that things were good in her life, she was allowing herself to take pleasure from moments like this. The stillness, the peace, it felt wonderful. Reaching for another file full of documents, her quiet moment was shattered when she heard the most goulash noise coming from outside. The moment she heard it her head snapped up and she was over taken with the oddest sense of déjà vu. Jumping from her chair she went to her window and sure enough there stood Emma by her precious apple tree with a chain saw! Had Emma lost her mind! Regina practically ran through the house to the side door and then out to the back garden where her apple tree was now planted. "What the hell are you doing?"

In the time it took Regina to get from the window to where Emma was standing the blonde had switched out the chain saw, which she'd used just for dramatic effect to get Regina's attention, for a beautifully handmade wooden box that looked just like one of Regina's gleaming red apples. "Picking apples?"

"Emma!" Regina scolded, her dark eyes wide and confused. "Seriously, what the hell?"

Emma, who was wearing jeans and an apple red sweater because it was to chilly for a tank top this time, tossed the wooden apple in the air and caught it before explaining, "This was the moment when it all really got started. Right here with this tree, a chain saw, and you running from your window like an angry lioness, which was kind of hot by the way." She paused to smile at a baffled looking Regina. "This was the moment when I told you I was staying."

Regina crossed her arms and tried really hard not to smile. "Yes, I remember. That was a life time ago, Emma."

"It was." Emma agreed. "And it hasn't been an easy life lived but every moment, good, bad, and in between has been worth it."

Brown eyes lit up as Regina finally smiled. "Yes, it has."

"You know the apple has a really long history of romance." Emma said as she tossed the wooden apple in the air and it caught again. "I can see why you're so fond of them." She was smirking now. Regina had gone back to looking confused. "There's this one thing I read, about how in Ancient Greece throwing an apple at a woman was considered a marriage proposal." Emma's smile grew, her bright green eyes lit up. "Hey Regina, catch."

Regina had been a little perplexed when Emma started babbling about apples, still a little caught off guard by the blonde bringing up that moment in their past. When Emma brought up the Greeks and marriage her brain didn't even have time to soak in her meaning as she tossed the apple she'd been playing with at her. A soft yelp of surprise slipped past the brunette's lips as she reached out on instinct to catch the apple. The moment she held it in her hands she realized it wasn't an apple at all. "Emma?"

"Open it." Emma said softly as she moved closer to Regina.

It took a few moments for Regina, who's hands had started to tremble as her brain started catching up to what was happening, to open the wooden apple. Nestled inside was a beautiful diamond and pink sapphire ring, an apple blossom set in stones and platinum. Her dark eyes locked on the beautiful ring, to scared to look up and meet the gaze of the woman now standing in front of her. Her heart was pounding, racing, and she was pretty sure she'd forgotten how to breathe.

Reaching out Emma gently cupped Regina's face in her hands and slowly made her lover look up so she could look into Regina's eyes. "I told you that you didn't know what I was capable of." Emma said gently, "Your move."

"Yes." Regina said without hesitation. "Yes, Emma, of course I'll marry you."

Tears sprang to Emma's eyes as she slipped the ring from its apple box and onto Regina's hand before pulling Regina close and kissing her. Loud happy cheering erupted from the two children, and large black puppy, watching from Lucy's bedroom window. The two women were so lost in the moment and the kiss that they didn't really hear the kids excitement, but when Regina felt something tapping her on the shoulder she did end up pulling back from Emma. Hovering there was a black velvet box wrapped in rose pink magic. Finally looking up towards Henry and Lucy she spotted the latter twitching her fingers, tip of her tongue between her teeth and lips in concentration as she magically manipulated the box. Reaching out Regina took it with a soft chuckle, "Thank you darling!"

"What's that?" Emma asked as her eyes flickered back and forth between the box and Regina.

"I'm not the best when it comes to having patience in regards to having something I want." Regina said as she flicked open the box to revile a very simple and yet stunning princess cut diamond ring. "I was going to give you until the holidays and if you hadn't asked me, I was going to ask you."

Emma laughed with fresh tears in her eyes. "Because I'm the something you want?"

"Always." Regina said while slipping the ring onto Emma's hand.

Emma kissed Regina again and again there was loud cheering from the second floor widow.

Word spread quickly through the town and most people were happy for them. There were still a few holdouts, people still angry at Regina, still holding a grudge, but for the most part people were wishing them well. Their love was hard to deny since pretty much the whole town had witnessed true love's magic in the street outside Granny's diner, and with that kind of love between the Savior and the Queen, it didn't take long for people to start talking about this huge royal wedding, but Emma quickly put the breaks on that. The wedding would be simple and intimate, and no matter how much Snow tried to convince her that as a princess certain things were expected, Emma wouldn't give in. Regina understood both sides, and though she agreed with Emma as to what they wanted, she did manage to broker a compromise. They would have the simple wedding that she and Emma wanted, an open reception for the whole town, and if they ever got back to Fairytale Land they would have the balls to end all balls.

But planning even the simplest of weddings wasn't easy when you were planning one with Regina Mills. Simple, yes, but it still had to be perfect and that was starting to get to Emma a little. Flowers, cakes, colors, food, music, dresses, it was all a bit overwhelming for Emma. Sitting in the dressmaker's shop Emma sighed a long dramatic sigh that caused her hair to flutter. She'd already been there for over an hour having her own dress pinned and tacked, and now she was sitting through it while Lucy had hers done. The two of them shared a look, though Lucy's was far more excited than Emma's, while Regina made comments and 'suggestions' about Lucy's dress. Cake tasting was next and they both wanted to be there rather than here, and the longer it took with Lucy's dress the crankier Emma was getting.

When Lucy turned on the little stool so the dressmaker could get to back the bright smile that had been on her face for what seemed like days finally faltered and her mother noticed. "What's wrong dear?"

"Mr. Gold." Lucy said as she pointed at the front shop window.

Regina and Emma both looked but when Emma headed for the door Regina stopped her. "Stay with Lucy." She told her fiancée. "I'll only be a moment."

"It looks like preparations are going well, dearie." Rumple said with a crooked smirk as soon as Regina had closed the door behind her and stepped onto the sidewalk.

"What do you want Rumple?" Regina asked, her voice low and threatening.

"Can't I simply bid you congratulations on your betrothal to the Savior and wish you well?" Rumple replied in a voice so sweet it was sickening.

"No." Regina answered honestly. "What do you want?"

Rumple chuckled. "You know me to well, dearie. Well, since you refuse polite small talk lets get down to it than. My Hook problem seems to be a lingering issue. I'm calling in the favor you owe me for telling you how to depower your dear mother."

She'd know this day would come. Regina had promised to help Rumple with Captain Hook in return for his help with her mother. "What do you need?" He told her and she shook her head. "I will not use dark magic and I will not betray Emma that way!"

"Invite her along." Rumple said with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "She might enjoy it. You use too." He giggled in that Rumple way of his that seemed so odd coming from the well-dressed Mr. Gold.

"Find a way for me to help that does not involve that kind of curse and seduction." Regina told him. "I'll use the spell I used on Maleficent and turn him into pet rat or lizard or a crocodile."

Anger flashed in Rumple's eyes. "This pirate has taken from be again and again and I will not show him mercy. I will not let him take one more thing from me that is mine!"

"Is this about Belle?" Regina asked. "Because if you end up loosing her Rumple it isn't going to be because of something someone else does, it'll be because of something you've done. Everything and everyone in this town is changing but you. You're still the same revengeful little imp you've always been. What was it you told me once? So long as you live in the past you'll never find your future? You were right. Now find another way for me to help."

"Redemption really doesn't look good on you, dearie." Rumple hissed. "When are you going to come to your sense and take back what once was yours?"

"If relaying on magic and living for power is going to turn me into you, than you can keep it." Regina replied before turning and heading back inside.

The moment Regina stepped back into the shop Emma was in her space. "What's going on?"

"We'll talk about it later." Regina promised.

"What does he want?" Emma asked.

Regina reached out and put a comforting hand on Emma's arm. "We'll talk about it later."

"Is everything alright Momma?" Lucy asked.

Regina smiled her best sweet smile. "Everything is fine my darling. Oh, look at you! So beautiful!"

That night once Henry and Lucy were safely tucked into their beds Regina told Emma what Rumple wanted. Emma was pissed; she wanted to know what gave him the right to ask Regina to do such things. She understood that Regina owed him a favor, hell so did she, but to ask Regina to sleep with Hook in order to put a dark curse on him was going to far! Emma promised she wouldn't do anything but a few days later she got a call from Rumple asking her to come to the pawn shop. He made it sound as if it were official business, something about a vandal, but Emma knew better than that.

Rumple had a plan and Regina was part of that plan. He would do whatever it took to get her back. He had put to much work into her to loose her now. He watched from the back room as Emma poked at the crystal unicorn mobile and then plastered on a smile as he came into view saying, "That was yours you know."

Emma blinked. "What?"

"The mobile." Rumple said pointing his cane at it. "It hung over the crib in the nursery meant for you. The nursery you never got to enjoy because of Regina."

"Nice try." Emma said as she turned to look at him. "You created the cruse. You created the person who cast it. You and I both knew who the real evil is in this town and it isn't her. So what do you want?"

"I'm calling in the favor you owe me dearie." Rumple said, getting right to the point.

"Seems like you've been trying to do that all over town." Emma replied. "You must be pretty desperate to get Hook out of your hair if you're calling in all your favors."

Dealing with Hook was keeping Rumple from finding Bae, so yes he was desperate. "You came to me and made a deal with me for Cinderella's child."

"Yeah, I remember." Emma said. "You were going to take Ashley's baby from her. You agreed not to as long as I agreed to owe you a favor. So what's the favor?"

Rumple smiled as he curled his long fingers around the handle of his cane. "It's really very simple, dear Ms. Swan. All you have to do is call off your wedding to Regina this Saturday."

Emma's eyes went wide and there was a painful prick in her heart. "What?"

"Call off your wedding to Regina this Saturday." He repeated. "Publicly. At the wedding."

"You want me to publicly hurt her?" Emma asked as she slowly advanced on the man. Kicking his cane out of his grip she grabbed him by the jacket lapels and asked, "Why would I do that?"

"Because if you don't I will take the child that was promised me." He replied.

"You can't just walk in there and take someone's child!" Emma argued. "You don't have the legal right to do that!"

Rumple smirked. "It would be a shame if something happened to little Alexandra's parents. But if something did happen I'm sure it would be fairly easy to persuade a judge to give me guardianship of the poor little orphan."

Emma's eyes went wide at the threat. "So either I call off the wedding or you'll kill Ashley and Sean? You realize you just admitted premeditated murder to the sheriff don't you?"

"Yes, but see King George is the D.A. and he hates your father." Rumple said with amusement. "He would side with me out of spite. You really have no choice in the matter dearie. Call off your wedding."

Emma's eyes burned with anger and for a moment Rumple felt real fear. When she let him go Rumple stumbled backwards into the counter and grinned as she stormed off. "See you on Saturday dearie!"

"Rumple."

Rumple turned to find Belle standing in the doorway and he did his best not to look surprised. "You're early my dear. I thought we were meeting for lunch at two?"

"You're never going to change are you?" She asked him. "What you just did, what you're making her do, you're always going to be a heartless cruel coward of a man aren't you?"

He could see it in her eyes. He'd finally gone to far and that only made him want to turn Regina back to her dark, evil self that much more. No one, not even Rumplestiltskin wanted to be alone.

Emma drove around town for hours trying to figure out what to do. She would not hurt Regina, but she couldn't put Ashley, Sean and their baby at risk either. She had faith in her love for Regina, and Regina's for her, so she had hope. But hope wasn't action it wasn't a plan. What was she going to do?


	6. Chapter 6

Storybrooke's chapel, with it's high beamed ceiling and rows of freshly painted pews, was done up in warm fall reds and oranges, whites and creams. The flowers were orange calla lilies, chocolate brown roses, and black magic roses, which Emma picked because the name had made Regina roll her eyes in a way that made the blonde laugh. Candles and fairy lights made the chapel sparkle, and feel warm and inviting. Rather than rose petals the aisle was dusted with fall leaves that continued past the white runner to surround the small canopy at the alter. It was beautiful, the perfect fall themed setting. As the handful of invited guests began to arrive they couldn't help but smile at how warm it all was, and so not what they had expected. They were expecting more Queen Regina rather than just Regina, and several comments were made about how much the woman had changed. There was still a lot of debate over this change being real, or if it would hold, but for today everyone gathered to witness the wedding of their Savior and their former Queen put those doubts and issues away.

Sitting towards the front with Granny and Ruby was Belle. She knew what could happen today and it was twisting her up inside. She hadn't told anyone, partly because of her feelings for Rumple, partly because of how she felt about Regina, but mostly because she didn't know what to say. When she heard the familiar thump of a cane she turned to see Rumple as he took a seat in the very last pew, right on the aisle. Their eyes met for a moment and Belle felt as if she were going to be ill.

"Hey." Ruby said softly. "You ok?"

"No." Belle said honestly. "I need to tell you something."

"Ok, what…"

Ruby didn't get a change to ask what Belle wanted to say. With everyone, the dwarves, Archie, Marco, August, Ashley and Sean, Kathryn and Jim, the fairies, Jefferson and Grace, even King George who was lurking in the back with Rumple, literally everyone Emma had come into contact with since her arrival filling the pews the room filled with soft music. The last to be seated in the very front row was Snow and James. Then the music changed, the doors in the back opened and the brides on the arms of their respective children made their way to the canopy where the Bishop stood waiting.

Emma looked stunning in her simple white satin dress with its thin white spaghetti straps and simple beaded brooch at her cleavage and the soft twist of silk around the bodice. She had her hair pinned up, but loose in tight spiraling curls that flowed from a small almost invisible tiara. Beside her walked Henry in a handsome dark suit with the same warm buttercup color vest and tie as he sister's pretty little strapless chiffon dress with the layered skirt that she just loved to twirl in. Lucy looked so happy and proud as she walked beside her mother as if this were more a victory march rather then a bridle march. Of course Regina's dress was elegant with a fuller skirt, short train, and detailed beading. It was off the shoulder straps, white with ivory details, like Emma's there was a simple beaded broach at the center of her cleavage, and oh the cleavage. Her normally short straight hair was long and curled into dark chocolate ringlets that like Emma's poured out of a tiara, but unlike Emma's it wasn't hidden but very clearly and proudly set upon the crown of her head.

Once the four of them, the picture perfect and stunningly beautiful modern family, stood before the Bishop who'd once upon a time married Snow and Charming, he began. "Royal family, friends, and loyal subjects we gather today to…"

Emma looked into Regina's beautiful bright mahogany eyes, her own eyes sparkling, and then said, "I'm sorry. Please stop. I can't."

A small murmur arose and when Belle looked back at Rumple he was smirking.

Her eyes said how sorry she was before turning them away from Regina and towards the gathering of their friends and loved ones. "I can't do this. I can't marry Regina today because of something I did awhile ago."

The murmur returned, louder than before. Emma gave it a few moments before going on. "When I first became Sheriff I made a deal with Mr. Gold. He agreed to void the contact he had with Ashley, with Cinderella, allowing her to keep her baby and all it would cost me was doing him a favor when he asked. I didn't know just how costly that favor would be to me."

Everyone was listening, gazing between Emma, Cinderella who hadn't know how Emma managed to save Alexandra from Rumple, and Rumple.

"The favor was calling off my wedding to Regina." Emma continued once everyone was focused on her again. "Either I call off the wedding or Ashley and Sean would have an accident and he'd get their child. Regina and I couldn't, won't let that happen." There were more soft murmurs that grew louder when they noticed Rumple start to feel a little uneasy. "So that's what I'm doing. I'm doing exactly what Rumple said to do. Call off your wedding to Regina this Saturday. Those were his exact words. That's the favor he called in. So the wedding today is off, and my favor is paid."

When Emma felt Regina take her hand she smiled. "Gold was hoping that by forcing me to stand Regina up at the alter it would hurt her enough to turn her back to his side." Emma continued as she laced her fingers with Regina's. "But, see I've learned a thing or two about dealing with Gold since I've been here. He's a man who likes to play with words. I can do that too. He said I had to call off my wedding to Regina, he said today's wedding. He never mentioned marriage, though I'm sure that's what he meant, it's not what he said."

Emma looked right into Rumple eyes; she could see the anger building as he began to work this out. "Regina and I were married last night under her apple tree by Reverend Bishop in the presence of my parents and our children."

"You don't get to win, Rumple." Regina said coolly. "Not this time."

"No one breaks a deal with me!" Rumple said, pushing to his feet. "You know full well what I meant! You just said so!"

Granny stood, turned, and faced the little man in the back. "Did Emma do what you asked her to do? Did she do exactly what you said?"

"Yes, she did." Belle spoke up. "I heard the whole thing. He said to call off today's wedding."

"Then she kept her end of the deal." Granny said as she produced her crossbow, from where no one had the faintest idea.

"Regina still owes me a favor." Rumple said as he moved down the aisle towards the couple.

"I agreed to help you with Captain Hook." Regina admitted. "That has nothing to do with me and Emma and our marriage." She held up their hands, wedding bands now joined with their engagement rings. "Not even you can tamper with the contract of marriage, Rumple."

"And you can't defeat true love either!" Lucy huffed at the man.

Regina gently pushed her overly brave little girl slightly behind her.

When he got about half way down the aisle Snow put herself between him and them, and Ruby in her wolf form moved to stand between him and Snow. When she growled, baring her teeth, he finally stopped. Even he wouldn't take on a child of the moon.

"Don't bother, Ruby." Granny said as she moved to stand with her granddaughter. "He's probably all stringy grilse and tastes like stale troll shit."

"How long do you think this will last?" Rumple asked Regina. "This," He waved his hand at her. "Isn't who you are."

"It's who I was meant to be." Regina fought back. "It's who I would have been if not for you and my Mother."

Rumple laughed. "Don't be so foolish. I will have you again dearie as it is meant to be, you belong to me."

Emma let go of Regina's hand and took a step away, a step towards Rumple. "She belongs to no one, Rumple, but if you want to get picky about it she's mine. You won't have her, not if I can help it."

"And what," Rumple teased. "Do you plan on doing to stop me?"

Anger and fear mixed with true love and before Emma knew what she was doing she was doing it. The thought of Rumple doing anything further to hurt Regina more than he has triggered something deep inside her, it touched that same place in her very heart, her very soul, that Cora had touched when she'd ripped Regina's heart from her chest. The blast of magic that erupted from Emma hit Rumple like a mac truck doing a 250 on the open road. When it first hit him it was so powerful he morphed into his true form, the gnarled golden imp of a man, more thing than human, and then it sent him flying, slamming into one set and then the second set of doors. Everyone in the chapel stared with a mix of confusion, awe, and fear before a few rushed to see where he went. Outside Rumple was suspended in the air writhing in pure white magic that was painful to his kind.

"Emma." Snow said as they all gathered in the doorway. "Stop."

Emma was in shock, her body trembling. "I… I don't know how."

Regina slid her arm around Emma, pressing her hand flat against Emma's stomach, and then lifted her hand, lying her own on top of Emma's. She whispered softly, explaining how to withdraw her magic. Rumple crashed to the ground.

"So that flash of light we saw last night…" James said softly so only his family would hear.

"Wasn't in our heads." Snow said with a nod.

* * *

_Emma drove around until it was really pretty late. When she slipped into the house she'd been hoping everyone would be asleep but of course Regina was still awake and waiting for her. Emma tried to give her fiancée a smile but the way Regina stood there with her arms crossed, the angry look on her face, it just made her drop her head. _

"_Where the hell have you been?" Regina demanded. "It's after midnight and I haven't heard a word from you since lunch!" _

"_Driving." Emma answered honestly as she walked up the steps and passed the furious brunette. She headed for the kitchen where she knew Regina had saved her a plate of food knowing full well that her lover was right on her heels. _

"_The damn town isn't big enough for that kind of drive!" Regina replied. "Emma, what happened?" _

_The blonde pulled her plate from the warmer and carried it over to the island. Closing her eyes she let the warmth of the kitchen, the familiar scent of apples and cinnamon, tea and coffee, wash over her. How quickly the smell of apples had become the smell of home to her. This place, this woman, those two babies upstairs asleep in their beds, were her home. Finally after a lifetime of not having one, she had an amazing one. And damn it she would fight for it with all she had. Opening her eyes she looked at Regina and said, "We're not getting married on Saturday." _

_Hurt and anger flashed in dark eyes. "Excuse me? What?" _

_Emma moved around the island towards Regina's. "We can't, so we're getting married tomorrow."_

"_Emma?" Regina's anger melted as Emma took her face in her hands. "What's going on?" _

_Following a slow reassuring kiss Emma explained everything. There had always been a strange unexplainable bond between Regina and Rumple, something that kept them from actually killing each other, but knowing that he would willingly and happily rip her true love form her for his own pleasure, broke whatever bond that was. Regina wanted to kill him. She wanted to ripe his cold black heart from his chest and crush it into ashy powder. She just might have done it to if not for Emma. Emma, who had spent all those hours Regina had spent bubbling in her concern and anger because she had no idea where the blonde was, had come up with a plan. They would be married and they would expose just one more layer of truth to everyone when it came to Mr. Gold, taking just a little more power away from him. _

_The next afternoon they explained things to Henry and Lucy. They left out some finer details because they were only children, but they were able to get the general idea. They went about their day as if tomorrow were going to happen just as it should. Then that evening Emma gave Regina a nod. _

"_You know it would be easier to just call them and ask them to come over." Regina pointed out. _

_Emma smirked. "What? And miss out on giving you a chance to piss of my mother for the fun of it?" _

_Regina laughed. "It truly is the little things that let you know just how much someone loves you."_

_Emma chuckled softly as she watched Regina use her magic to summon her parents. They appeared in a cloud of magical haze that was lighter and bluer these days, a sign that Regina's magic was changing right along with the woman herself. _

_There was a flash of anger in Snow's eyes, as she demanded, "Regina what is the meaning…." _

"_Stop." Emma said firmly. "I asked her to and there's a damn good reason." She explained what Rumple was doing and how this had to be an absolute secret until the wedding tomorrow, other wise they risked Rumple amending the favor to mean what he really meant. Once her parents were on board Emma gave another nod to Regina. "Now, the good Reverend." _

_Henry and Lucy had strung fairy lights in the apples trees, and used every candle and tea light in the house to form a circle around Regina's most beloved tree. Regina used her magic to dress everyone, simple white dresses for her and Emma, cream colored dresses for Snow and Lucy, and matching cream colored linen suits for James and Henry. _

_Reverend Bishop wore his best suit, the sash that marked his role as the town's clergy as well as one that marked his rank as the Archbishop back in Fairytale land. He stood under the apple tree with Emma and Regina, holding his book, smiling. "Do you Emma promise to take this woman as your wife and love her for all eternity?" _

_Not so long ago Emma would have heard the word eternity and run like hell. But Regina made her feel as if eternity weren't long enough for them. Looking into Regina's eyes Emma said, "I do." _

"_And do you Regina promise to take this woman to be your wife and love her for all eternity?" The Bishop asked. _

_A lifetime of pain, hurt, anger, longing, and loneliness melted away as Regina said, "I do." _

"_The rings?" The Bishop asked softly, holding his hand out as Henry placed them in his palm. _

_Simple gold bands except for what was engraved inside. It would forever be the mark of their true love, of their union, and maybe even someday their kingdom. A heart flanked on either side by swan's wings and topped with a queen's crown. As they slide the rings on they pledged themselves to each other, promising to always be there for each other through good, bad, and everything in between. The Bishop smiled and pronounced them married, their smiles and tear glimmering eyes bright as they shared their first married kiss. _

_They didn't see if but everyone around them did. As Emma and Regina sealed their union with a kiss a bright magical glow enveloped them, causing Snow to gasp. She looked up at her husband for an explanation but he didn't have one. This wasn't the pulse of magic from true love's kiss this was something more, something deeper, and something so pure it was the most beautiful thing any of them have ever seen. The kiss ended, the glow faded, but the warmth it left in the hearts of the people around them would linger._

* * *

The wedding might have been canceled but the party was still on. Once Rumple had picked himself up, a glimmer of real fear in his old eyes, and scurried away Emma announced that the open reception would still take place. Their family, friends, and the rest of the town would still get the chance to celebrate their marriage.

While the town gathered down in the main hall Emma and those closest to her were in Regina's old office talking about what happened. Emma was more than a little shocked over having magic. She and Regina had been so caught up in the moment the night before that they didn't really notice the spark of magic when they kissed, but what Emma did to Gold was a little harder to ignore.

"Emma." Lucy said brightly. "You have magic just like me and Momma!"

"Yeah, looks like I do kid." Emma said as she looked up at the people around her for an explanation. "How do I have magic?"

"You're a child of true love." The Blue Fairy said with that annoying know it all smile of hers.

Emma narrowed her eyes. "Bullsh…"

"Emma." Regina warned, nodding her head towards Lucy and Henry.

"That's crap." Emma said instead. "According to you people and the book Ashley and Sean are true loves, does that mean Alexandra will have magic? Will Kathryn and Jim have magic babies?"

Blue bristled a bit. "No, most likely they won't."

"Ok, so what the hell is so special about them?" She pointed at her parents and then added, "No offence." Before turning back to Blue. "That I would have magic?"

"Well," Blue said as she tried to think this out. "They were the template. Everything started with them."

"No it didn't." Nova said from behind the other fairy. When everyone was looking at her she blushed a little and said, "Um, well, it didn't. It started with Regina."

Regina's eyes went a little wide. "What?"

Blue did not look happy that Nova was not only speaking out of turn but also admitted to something she'd have kept secret. She would have told the younger fairy to stop but Snow said to go on. "Well, um, see." She began nervously. "When she was born, she was born with white magic, a pure soul and a loving heart. The problem was that she was born, um, well, out of sync."

"Out of sync?" Regina asked, looking confused.

Nova nodded. "With Emma, well, Emma's soul, and because your souls were out of sync you were corrupted. Finding Emma and falling in love, it put things back in order. Henry is right when he says everything that has happened, all the good, all the bad, had to happen. It had to happen to put things right. There was a reason you could never actually just kill Snow. Everything you did, as bad as it was and it was very bad Regina, was your soul trying to make things right, not as you believed for Daniel but for yourself and Emma."

Emma could tell that was a lot for Regina to take in so she reached over and took her new wife's hand while asking, "Ok, but what does that have to do with me having magic?"

"Like Regina you were born with the blessing of magic, good magic. Magic that would at some point in your life been needed for one reason or another. If you had grown up in our land you would have grown into it like any other magical child, like Lucy did. But, because you were out of sync with the other half of your soul, you would have been just as easily corrupted as Regina was." Nova continued. "Growing up here kept you safe from that. With magic now in this land, and your union with Regina, it has allowed that part of you to open up. Things are starting to be as they should be, that's all. If outside forces hadn't set things off track, if you two would have been allowed the density written for you, well, things back home would have been so very different and so very splendid."

"What made everything go so wrong?" James asked.

Nova shrugged. "No one knows. Something magical, something missing, it just isn't known what or when, only that it happened."

"She knows." Lucy said pointing to Blue.

Regina looked over at her daughter and asked, "What?"

"Of course I don't child." Blue piped in.

"Yes you do." Lucy said with a soft huff. "While Nova was speaking you got this look on your face."

"A look?" Blue asked.

Lucy nodded. "Yeah, like you felt bad about something."

Henry nodded as well. "You looked guilty."

"What would Blue have to be guilty about?" Snow asked.

Regina thought for a moment and then asked, "Why was I born out of sync?"

When it was clear that Blue wasn't going to answer Nova did. "Your family's patron fairy wasn't there to stop the dark forces that preyed on Cora while she was at her weakest and most vulnerable."

"Who was my fairy godmother meant to be?" Regina demanded.

Nova shrugged. "No one remembers, or at least, no one speaks of it anymore."

"Their ruler would know." Lucy piped up again.

"Blue doesn't…"

Lucy shook her head. "Blue isn't their ruler she's just a leader. The fairies have a queen."

Blue's eyes went wide. "How did you know that?"

"My best friends growing up were gnomes." Lucy explained. "I know stuff human's aren't meant to know."

Everyone in the room grew quite as they took in all of this new information. After several long moments passed Emma grabbed Regina's hand as she stood, pulling Regina to her feet as well.

"Emma?" Regina yelped as she was pulled off the sofa and towards the door.

Emma paused long enough to say, "There are people downstairs celebrating our wedding and ya know what? I'm so done talking about this right, so we are going downstairs to celebrating too."

"Emma." Regina said softly.

Emma shook her head. "Regina, I can't. I just can't."

Regina nodded. "Alright, alright lets go."

Snow watched them leave, their kids following before, and then turned towards the fairies. "So not over."


End file.
